


With You, Across the World

by Abbb_ssss98



Category: Sex Education (TV)
Genre: Cute, F/F, F/M, M/M, i have no idea what to put here, volunteering, year 13
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28846725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abbb_ssss98/pseuds/Abbb_ssss98
Summary: After the voicemail and Maeve not receiving it, the relationship between the two is hard.In there last year of Sixth Form, the Moordale students are required to complete a placement or voluntary work.This is my first story, and its also kinda based on my voluntary work in the 2nd year of Uni
Relationships: Otis Milburn/Maeve Wiley
Comments: 16
Kudos: 39





	1. New School Year

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think, or any ideas you might have!

It had been a whole summer since the last time they'd talked. Since the last time he let her down, since the last time, everyone let her down. Her mum and Elsie were gone, she was the reason they were gone. He was gone, she was the reason he was gone. Aimee and Isaac were all she had left, all she knew these days, all she wanted to know. Everyone else came and left behind heartbreak, and she'd be damned if she was to let it happen again.

She spent the summer bouncing around with Aimee, Isaac every now and an again, writing and studying for a new year in the aptitude scheme and trying to keep herself afloat at the crappy job in the shopping centre in town.

Spending time with Aimee was the most important, she never felt alone when they were together. It was difficult to say she was getting better when she knew how hard it is to move on. Standing by her each other as they took trips into town, had sleepovers at Aimee's house and her caravan, being there for each other when the other needed to cry. But out of all the activities she enjoyed most, movie days were the best.

As the end of summer was fast approaching and she was spending the last weekend of freedom at Aimee's. 

She approached the front door and Aimee was waiting at the door, covered from head to toe in flour.

"Hiya Babes!" Aimee yelled down the drive with a huge smile on her face.

"Hey Aims, what is that all over you?" she said while laughing and approaching the blonde.

"I've made us some sleepover snacks and some cookies to decorate! Think I'm finally getting the hang of these recipe thingys".

They spent the evening decorating the cookies and choosing films to watch.

"Maeve, are you excited to go back to school?" she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"I am, are you?" She responded without taking her eyes off the tv.

"Oh yeah definitely, it'll be nice to roam the halls again," Aimee said still looking puzzled.

"Okay Aims, what's up?" Maeve asked, finally turning her head to face her best friend.

"Do you think Otis will keep the clinic going? or will he stop? or are you gonna help him still? or-" 

"I don't think it will carry on. Not with me anyway" Maeve interrupted, moving her eyes down to her hands. "Why'd you ask? How's Steve? Haven't seen him in a while, everything okay?" Hoping to change the subject.

Aimee's face lights up as she starts to talk about her and Steve and the recent gossip of their relationship.

"Maeve?"

"Mmm?" 

"Do you miss him?"

"I've let it go Aims, he isn't who I thought he was," she said quietly as she kept her eyes on the chick flick Aimee chose. 

"I know he hurt you, but you've not been the same since his speech"

"I just moved my focus to myself... and you. and stopped giving myself a reason to be hurt" with a small smile, she leant her head on her best friends shoulder.

The weekend passed quickly, with laughs, singing and dancing, the two best friends were finally content.  
_______________________________

Otis hadn't done much over the summer, after realising Maeve didn't want anything to do with him, he stopped trying to talk to her. Seeing her at school in the last couple weeks of term were the hardest.

But now, it was Sunday night, the day before the new school year. He had done some reading, some studying, after all, this is his final year at Moordale, he needed to make sure he was ready.

His summer had started and ended pretty much the same, Eric would come over after spending a couple of days with Adam, they would play video games for days straight, pull all-nighters and snack on just about everything. After trying to push him to speak to Maeve, Eric quickly decided that it wasn't going to work. He was worried about having to see her around the school, how was he supposed to walk the same halls with her, when she wouldn't talk to him anymore.

Jean was quick to remind him, "You have to work for the things that you want, and sometimes a relationship has to be nurtured and cared for before it can be fixed".

He fell asleep on Sunday night, ready and prepared for the new school year. 

______________________________

Otis checked himself out in the mirror, ‘New year, new me’... He wore smart black jeans, with a polo shirt and his favourite shoes. His hair was longer and messier, but no matter what he did, he couldn't get it tidy.

Giving up on his appearance, he went downstairs to find his mum and Jakob sat at the table. Over the summer, they had managed to sort out their relationship and we're finally happy, with the baby on the way. 

Jean watched her son come down the stairs with his head held high and a small smile on his face. “Everything okay darling? You want some coffee?” 

“I'm good this morning mum! I'm feeling good. Erm... I'll leave the coffee this morning, I'm meeting Eric, nice to see you, Jakob” Otis says as he leaves through the door.

Much to his surprise, Eric is already waiting at the top of the stairs for him, helmet on, a smile on his face. 

“Morning Oakcake” and with that, they rode to school.

As they arrived at the bike racks, he saw her. For the first time in months, he saw her.

______________________________

Maeve’s morning wasn't much different from what it usually was. She got up, showered, got dressed and did her makeup, and was out of the door before 8 am. 

As she arrived at the bus stop, Aimee was already there, it became a routine. As they walked into the school grounds, she saw Otis and Eric riding in on their bikes. Turning her gaze back to Aimee, she walked into the school. 

“This is going to be tough.” she thought.  


_______________________

The day started great, going from class to class, snaking through the corridor with no disturbance. It was great! 

“Hmmm what's next,” he thought. His new timetable was much different from last year. But one had stayed the same.

‘Progression, Preparation and Performing (PPP) with Miss Sands in room 204’.

“Great.” he thought with slight worry and nervousness.

He walked in and she was already there, and just out of pure luck, the only seat free was at the back, with her. Swearing under his breath, he approached her.

“H-hi Maeve,” he said as he looked at the seat next to her, “Can I s-sit here?”

She didn't even look up, just moved the direction of her legs and pulled out the chair.

Just as he sat down, Miss Sands came rushing through the door, apologising for being late.

“Hey guys, how was summer?” a cheerful Miss Sands began, with mumbles and grumbles coming from the class.

“Perfect, perfect! So, this year, as it is your last year at Moordale, some of you will be wanting to open up yourselves to different things, different experiences, hoping to expand those CVs! So I have some exciting news...”

Otis wasn't listening, how could he. He was sat close enough to Maeve, to talk to her, but he was lost for words, what would he even say, how would he say it. She didn't respond to his voicemail, how could he confront her about how upset he was over the summer. All these questions were spinning around his head until.

“Um... What are you thinking of doing?” she asked.

“W-what?” 

“Miss Sands said discuss which we wanted to do, never mind, it's fine,” she said turning her head back to Miss Sands.

“Wait, I wasn't listening, I didn't hear what she said” 

“Oh, fine. She said we can choose to do a placement or we can also look at volunteering abroad” 

“Oh, that sounds great, what do you want to do?”

“Not sure, to be honest, you?”

“Neither.”

She turned her attention back to Miss Sands as she ran through the different options again, this time, he paid attention too.

_______________________

“So what you thinking Aims?” she asked as they sat on the field during break.

Aimee was currently in the middle of a big mindmap, trying to help her decide which option to take. 

“I like the idea of going with this charity and spending some time in Sri Lanka in the bakery, but I also don't know if I want to go abroad, how about you?” 

“Rwanda looks cool,” she said looking over her best friends shoulder at the hard work she was doing.

“Yeah! I can totally see you out there, helping all those people and the kids! That's what you want to do right?” 

Well, she hadn't thought about it, Miss Sands thinks that she would be a really good English teacher and that she should look into the different options surrounding it.

“I'm not sure yet Aims” 

The Rwanda trip was with a charity that goes into the different schools in the areas and teaches them about the safety surrounding sex and relationships. The HIV rates in the country were increasing and more and more children were growing up not knowing about the importance of safe sex. They teach the children using fun games of Cricket and little group sessions. She really liked this option.

Otis was looking at her in the distance, as he sat talking to Eric. She wasn't mad anymore. She wasn't anything anymore, she was just getting by with the people she trusted, and that wasn't him anymore. Seeing Eric turn to look at her and Otis clearly in distress, she turned back to Aimee, who had a knowing smile on her face.

“Yeah, yeah I know, talk to him” she mocked

“Babes, it might just help get it out of your system, plus, he's clearly wanting to talk to you” Steve started to approach the two friends, kissing his girlfriend on the cheek and smiling towards Maeve.

“Hey girls, how you doing?” he asked with a smile as he sat down.

“Maeve’s fine and she IS going to talk to Otis! Come on babes”

With a huff and an eye roll, she smiled at her friend, getting up and mumbling a quick “fine”. Yelling “Cya later” behind her as she approached the two men.

_______________________

“Eric, I had to sit next to her in the class, she barely talked, and when she did, I wasn't listening so I messed up, UGH” He yelled, frustrated. 

Eric turned his attention to Maeve, who was sat with Aimee, “Yano, you should just try and talk, it's not like she can ignore you more than what she has, and maybe she just needed time to think”. Turning back to Otis who was giving him a death stare.

“I can't do that. She already hates me, rightfully so and I don't want to make it worse” just as he finished talking, he catches Maeve stand up and start walking towards him and Eric.

“Omg Otis, she's coming, Otis, OTIS!” 

“Hi Eric” 

“Hello Maeve, nice to see you”

“You too,” she said with a small smile.

“Hi, Maeve” Otis spoke quietly.

“Otis... Eric, have you chosen a placement yet?”

“Erm yeah, I think so, I'm gonna do the music camp thing, you know, go and be a councillor, how about you?”

“I have one in mind” she lifted the sides of her mouth slightly before turning completely towards Otis. “Otis, I think we should talk”.

“Really?” his voice was high and pitch.

“Really. Specifically about you staring at me and Aimee across the lawn” looking him up and down, watching him squirm under her gaze, keeping her smirk hidden.

"I wasn't, erm, I was just, sorry" 

She started to walk away as the boys were left speechless, “Come on then” she said as she stopped for a second. 

Otis stood for a second, watching her walk away, “What are you doing man? Go!! I'm gonna go find Adam” with a push from Eric, his legs were following her.

____________________________

In the old toilet block, which always seemed to be where they ended up, she stopped and lit herself a cigarette, looking him up and down as he stood there watching her.

“I'm sorry Maeve. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I'm sorry. The things I said at the party, how I treated you, I'm really sorry. I should have known that the voicemail wasn't enough after all I've done, I should have made more effort when I saw you, I just was heartbroken, and couldn't face anymore embarrassment-” Otis began before seeing Maeve hold up her hand.

“Voicemail? I didn't get a voicemail, anyway, that's not why I wanted to talk, which placement are you doing?” 

“Erm, I'm not sure. How didn't you get my voicemail? I sent-” she interrupted him again.

“Which do you want to do?”

“There’s a few,” he said slowly with defeat on his face.

“Ah... I’m thinking of an abroad one, just not too sure about the money and stuff yet” 

“It’s a fundraiser, I'm sure you can do it Maeve” 

“We’ll see” 

Talking to him reminded her of how much she missed him, and she didn't want to admit it, but she still did like him. But she couldn't. Not after everything. She was tired of being told over and over to talk to him, so she is. She's talking now, so everyone will leave her alone. She doesn't need this in her life right now. 

Her facial expression changed and of course, he noticed, “What’s wrong Maeve?” he said taking a slow and small step forward, his hands open in front of him, like a defence? or maybe he was offering comfort? 

And that was it, he could read her like a book. Wanting to take that step forward, straight into him and just letting his arms take her. Of course, fight or flight kicked in and she did what she does best... "Nothing, I just have to get to class” and with that, she passed right by him, grabbing her bag and walking out the door, leaving him there.

She'd be damned if she let that dickhead get into her head again


	2. Delivering Food Parcels Around Moordale?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ahhh, I see, the Maeve effect is still in full swing then..." Eric said as he winked at his best friend.
> 
> "Oh, fuck off!" Otis said as he threw some of his crisps at Eric.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this is okay! Let me know what you guys think!
> 
> Thank you for all the positive feedback on the last chapter:)

"Otis?...Otis?... OTIS!!" Eric exclaimed trying to get his best friends attention.

"Hm? What? Why are you yelling?"

After the conversation in the toilets with Maeve, Otis was struggling to understand what happened. On one hand, she spoke to him, she asked him to talk, and they actually spoke. But, on the other hand, she closed herself off to him, he asked her what was wrong and she responded by putting up her walls and leaving. _Does this mean we're okay now? Are we friends again? Should I try and speak to her? Or wait for her to c..._

"OTIS!!" Eric yelled again, bringing him back out of his thoughts.

"sorry."

"What's wrong with you? How was the chat with Maeve? I didn't see you before the period started, you guys were talking for a while."

It was now lunch and Otis had spent the last couple of lessons, thinking about what went wrong.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking, I'm not sure how it went, to be honest."

"Ahhh, I see, the Maeve effect is still in full swing then..." Eric said as he winked at his best friend.

"Oh, fuck off!" Otis said as he threw some of his crisps at Eric.

"You guys are so weird," Adam said as he watched the scene develop.

The three of them spent the rest of lunch laughing, chatting and messing around.

********************

Maeve's afternoon was empty, after having the aptitude scheme after the break, up until lunch, she didn't have any other lessons for the rest of the day, so she started walking back to her caravan, deciding that it was better than sitting in the common room or study.

Taking a long way home, she thought about the different volunteering options she wanted to do, 'Which are more realistic'. She could spend some time in the caravan park, doing different things for Cynthia, making up the hours she'd need to pass. But she already spends too much time there. Delivering food parcels around Moordale? But who wants their food to be handled by _Moordale's own Cockbiter Wiley._ She really wanted to go somewhere different, somewhere that doesn't know who she is, she can be herself, maybe somewhere in the UK, that seemed accessible. She wanted to believe she could go abroad, to a completely different country. _What's stopping her? Oh right, money, travel, experience, A PASSPORT, for god's sake!_

She stopped in frustration, looking around at where she was. Why did she walk here? She was thinking about what he had said, _'I'm sure you can do it Maeve'._ So that’s why she’s here, she was thinking about him. She needed him.

“Fuck it” She whispered under her breath.

As she walked down the steps to his house, she remembers the last time she was here, walking down the steps with Isaac following behind her, walking into the worst weekends of her life. Before she could even think to turn around and go back up the stairs, her hand is already knocking on the door. Hearing some steps from behind the door, it swings open.

“Hello, you must be my 4 o’clock, come right in”

Before even having a chance to speak, the women is letting her through the door and closing it behind her.

“Now Sarah, is it? Just follow me this way into my office”.

Absolutely speechless, Maeve follows the women through the house into the office, as she's walking she looks around the house, it looks so different to what it did at the party, no drunk teens, or cans and bottles scattered everywhere and no Drunk Otis.

“Please take a seat, Sarah, I’m Dr Milburn, but you can call me Jean, how can I help you today?” Jean sits back in the chair and smiles brightly and confidently at ‘Sarah’.

“I-um,”

“You said in your email that you wanted to discu…” Jean was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Maeve?” Otis stood in the doorway to Jean’s office, shock written across his face.

Maeve couldn’t open her mouth to say anything, everything happened so quickly that she didn’t have the words or any words for that matter.

“Maeve?” Jean repeated. “You’re not Sarah?”

Still unable to talk, Maeve just shook her head.

“Mum, this is Maeve, she’s my fr-uhh umm… she’s in my class”

Jean stood up from her chair and extended a hand out to Maeve. “Well, nice to meet you Maeve! Sorry about that, I was on an autopilot mode there”.

Maeve finally found her words and took Jean's hand, “You too Ms Milburn”, Maeve gaze fell on Otis as he shifted uncomfortably, then she let go of Jean's hand and spoke again,

“and… I’m Otis’ friend from school” looking him dead in the eye.

“Call me Jean.” She smiled brightly at the young girl, “Otis darling, why don’t you take Maeve upstairs, I have a client that is due any second now”, a small laugh leaving her as she moved out of the room.

“Do you want to um, come upstairs?” His voice was higher than usual.

“Lead the way, Dickhead” she spoke softly, smiling at him.

“Uh-okay, this way”.

As he leads her up the stairs, they were silent, in uncomfortable silence. Not really knowing what to do or say to each other, Maeve just followed behind him.

********************

Walking around his room, she was looking at all the different things he had, raising her eyebrows at him when she came across his records. He stood to the side of her watching her move her fingers through them.

“So-“

“I-“

They both spoke at the same time, turning to look at each other as they laughed softly. She gestured for him to go on.

“Sorry, I’m just slightly confused, like why are you- ah um, what are you doing- ah, never mind, are you okay?” deciding there was no polite way to ask her why she was here, mentally hitting himself in the head.

Turning around to stare him down for what felt like hours, she sighed, breaking the stare and turning back to the records,

“I am here because I was walking back to the caravan park, but I started to think about the volunteering module, and I don’t know, I just ended up here,” shifting from one foot to the other, moving her hand away from the records she had now finished looking through, she turned to face him but kept her gaze to the floor. “I don’t know what I'm doing here, and I'm fine”.

She really didn’t know why she was here, let alone in his room.

“Maeve..”

Instead of responding, she just looked up. He was looking at her with concern written across his beautiful blue eye, but he also had a confused furrowed brow, clearly not understanding what she was saying. As if all the power she had in her body was a sand timer, the longer she looked him in the eye, the more she wanted to just breakdown, hoping he’d catch her before she hit rock bottom. Seeing him, being in his house, made her think about all the shit that happened after they stopped being friends. Then she thought about it, her eyes squinting at him.

“Why couldn’t you tell your mum that we're friends?” deciding to change the tone slightly, messing with him, watching him get nervous and flustered before answering her question.

“I uh, didn’t want to assume that you were my friend again, we didn’t really speak anything through, but then today we spoke, but just about school stuff, you didn’t even say anything of the voicemail..”

“Otis, stop” realising that he's gonna rant himself into a panic attack she decided its probably best to stop him before he gets ahead.

“Maeve, I cant! I have to know! Why didn’t you respond?” throwing his hands around and yelling at her, makes her take a step back from him, startled.

Deciding to approach it differently, seeing him getting visibly upset, she takes a step forwards and starts inching towards him slowly whilst talking, “Otis, what are you talking about?” Her voice is calm and soothing.

“THE voicemail Maeve, you ignored me, didn’t say anything at all, then out of the blue, months later you’re in my house – in my room”, getting more agitated and upset his hands are flying everywhere.

Once close enough, she speaks hoping that it will distract him from noticing her movements, “I didn’t get a voicemail, Otis” she reaches out to stop his hands, holding them just above his wrists.

Not noticing her movements or the fact that shes now touching him, “What? How? That- that doesn’t make any sense. I told – and I definitely- I – What?” he wasn’t shouting anymore, his voice was much calmer for some reason.

“Talk Otis, what are you trying to say? When did you send me a voicemail” she spoke softly, her head was still disapproving of what he was saying, ‘ _I know I didn’t get one’_ , although, she found her body moving her hands slowly from his wrists into his hands, rubbing her thumb in circles over his hand on its own.

“I don’t understand, I definitely left you a voicemail, I – uh – I left it during the NSQC finals. I saw you on the TV when I was with my Dad and I knew you couldn’t answer so I thought I’d talk and hopefully, it would finally come out how I wanted it to. And it did, but then I went to the play and you weren’t there so I went to the caravan and you weren’t there either. Isaac said you weren’t, I told him – I told him to tell you that I was there, he didn’t? I told him to tell you to check the messages. Maeve, I don’t understand? I –“

She pulled him by his hands in for a hug, she hated seeing him this upset. As much as he pissed her off, she couldn’t stop herself from wanting to be there for him.

Now noticing that she had hold of him, he broke down, mumbling words that she couldn’t make out, rubbing his back, she tried calming him down. But he didn’t, he stood away from her with tears in his eyes,

“You never heard the message?”

She shook her head. “Hey, let’s calm down and sit for a bit, okay?” smiling at him, moving her head to catch his eyes.

They both moved towards his bed, knowing that a slight distraction from what they were talking about would be good, so she glanced at him and he was already looking at her. She smiled, moved to face him properly, crossing her legs on his bed and took his hands in hers. His eyes widened at the sudden contact.

“This okay?” she said with a soft smile.

Responding by just nodding, he began to relax.

“So, have you given any more thought to the volunteering thing?”

“Maeve…” Looking at her, saying the rest with his eyes, _I need to talk about this._

Understanding what he was saying, she squeezed his hand gently, “So have you?”

“No, I haven’t, have you?”

“Well, as I said before, I was thinking about it on my way here dickhead” Nudging him in the side, grinning as he laughed, “but yeah, I guess I was trying to think about realistic options, rather than stuff I actually wanna do.”

“What’s the difference?” He was visibly less stress than he was before.

“Well, I can’t afford the other ones, and I don’t think people will donate anything to Maeve ‘ _Cockbiter’_ Wiley, will they?”

“It’s not to you though, Maeve, it’s for the charity, and you are so much more than just how people see you, you shouldn’t stop doing what you want to do because of other people. If you could do any of trips, no matter the challenges, what would you do?”

“I’d do the Rwanda one.”

“Then do it! Nothing is stopping you, you’re amazing, you’re smart and they’d be stupid not to let you do it,” she smiled at him, he always knew how to cheer her up, this is why her body brought her here. She didn’t say anything but just lunged forward to hug him.

After a couple of minutes of just being there for each other in silence, he spoke, “Maeve, we need to talk about all this”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave some feedback :) I'm sorry it took so long for me to update, I'm already working on the next bit, so may have it up tomorrow:)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you've enjoyed:)
> 
> New chapter soon!


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